Days after Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found deceased inside their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home, authorities continue to piece together a possible timeline to explain the couple’s mysterious deaths.
Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, along with a dog were found dead inside their home on Feb. 26. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department deemed the deaths “suspicious” and began an investigation.
While Hackman and Arakawa’s cause of death have not been released, authorities believe both had been dead for over a week before their bodies were discovered.
GENE HACKMAN, WIFE’S CAUSE OF DEATH: FORENSIC EXPERT SHARES OPINION ON ‘UNUSUAL’ CIRCUMSTANCES
Gene Hackman’s death is being investigated by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department. (FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images)
Here’s what we know.
Investigators struggle to piece together timeline leading up to Gene Hackman’s death
The timeline of events leading up to the discovery of Hackman and Arakawa remains hazy as little is known about the couple’s “reclusive” lifestyle before their mysterious deaths.
“One of the things is, in an investigation we try to piece the timeline together, usually before the event happens, and that gives us a lot of information,” Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza admitted during a press conference Friday. “But in this case, it seems like we’re doing a reverse timeline.
“We’re doing a timeline from the time of death and the autopsy and the results. We’re going to start working our way backwards,” he added. “We’re going to do both and then hopefully make a determination as to what may have happened to both of the individuals.”
The investigation into Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s deaths faces challenges. (Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage)
Sheriff Mendoza noted on the “Today” show Friday that putting together a timeline would be a “challenge.”
“We’re trying to put things together, a timeline when the decedents were last spoken to. Of course, we understand that is a challenge because they were very private individuals, and a private family. So, we’re trying to put all that information together right now.”
Authorities seized two cell phones and a 2025 planner during a search of the Santa Fe residence, according to the search warrant inventory list obtained by Fox News Digital.
Mendoza confirmed authorities were looking into the “cellphone data, phone calls, text messages, events, photos” in order to “piece together the timeline.”
Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead inside their home on Feb. 26
Hackman and Arakawa were found deceased inside their home on Feb. 26.
Arakawa was found in the bathroom of the couple’s home, lying on the floor. A space heater was on the floor next to her, according to the search warrant affidavit. Officers described the pianist as showing “obvious signs of death,” including bloating and mummification.
Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa married in 1991. (Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Officers found Hackman in the couple’s mudroom. “The Firm” star seemed to have “suddenly fallen,” Santa Fe County Deputy Joshua Thomas wrote in the search warrant affidavit. Hackman had a cane with him and sunglasses near his head.
Hackman also showed similar “obvious signs of death,” like his wife.
WATCH: GENE HACKMAN AND WIFE WERE LIKELY DEAD FOR OVER A WEEK BEFORE DISCOVERED, AUTHORITIES SAY
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Both Gene Hackman and his wife tested negative for carbon monoxide
Hackman and Arakawa tested negative for carbon monoxide, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed at Friday’s press conference.
The couple’s Santa Fe residence was tested for carbon monoxide on Feb. 26. Santa Fe City Fire Department cleared the home after finding no evidence of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning.
Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (urschke/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
New Mexico Gas Company also responded to the scene and found “no signs or evidence” of problems with pipes in or around Hackman’s home.
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Gene Hackman’s pacemaker stopped recording activity on Feb. 17
Sheriff Mendoza confirmed the last recorded activity on Hackman’s pacemaker occurred on Feb. 17. Authorities are assuming this was Hackman’s last day alive, while the movie star’s body was not discovered for nine more days.
“According to the pathologist, I think that is a very good assumption that that was his last day of life,” Mendoza said during a press conference Friday.
WATCH: CIRCUMSTANCES OF GENE HACKMAN’S DEATH MAKE IT ‘SO UNUSUAL,’ ARGUES FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST
Hackman’s pacemaker could offer a key clue to Hackman’s death, forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden said during an appearance on “Fox Report.”
“That event would have been a cardiac arrest caused by an abnormal pulse rate,” Baden explained. “The pacemaker keeps track of the pulse, and when it gets down too low, it discharges. And that’s all in the record.”
“So the autopsy showed he didn’t have any injury,” the forensic pathologist continued. “There was no carbon monoxide. And he had – the most common cause of death in this country – severe heart disease, coronary artery disease and high blood pressure perhaps, from what’s been released. So that would cause him, having cardiac arrest in the mudroom, to collapse right there.”
Gene Hackman’s pacemaker’s last recorded event occurred on Feb. 17. (Media Home Entertainment/Everett Collection)
WATCH: SANTA FE COUNTY SHERIFF ADAN MENDOZA GIVES INSIGHT INTO GENE HACKMAN’S LIKELY ‘LAST DAY OF LIFE’
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Pills were found in the bathroom near Betsy Arakawa’s body
A prescription bottle was open on the bathroom counter near Arakawa’s body, according to the search warrant affidavit. Pills were “scattered on the counter-top” and authorities took “thyroid medication, blood pressure medication and Tylenol” from the home, according to the search warrant affidavit inventory released to Fox News Digital.
In one possible scenario, Dr. Baden explained Arakawa could have rushed to the bathroom to grab Hackman’s medicine after finding him and fallen in her rushed state.
Gene Hackman and his wife were likely dead for more than a week before their bodies were found, according to authorities. (Dreamworks/Everett Collection)
“She may have struck her head on the way down and had some internal injury to the brain that doesn’t show up on the outside or bleeding in the inside of the brain,” the forensic pathologist noted.
“Or that she may also, at 65, had severe heart disease and excitement can cause a trigger to the cardiac rhythm, causing death under those circumstances,” he added. “I think the first, that striking her head would be more common.”
Authorities found no external trauma on Arakawa’s body.
Maintenance workers who discovered Hackman and his wife hadn’t heard from the couple in 2 weeks
Hackman and Arakawa were found by maintenance workers Jesse Kesler and Roland Lowe Begay. Kesler, who worked as a personal contractor for the couple for 16 years, made the frantic 911 call on Feb. 26.
Gene Hackman’s cause of death has not been released. (Bravo/Everett Collection)
Both Kesler and Begay told authorities they last had contact with Hackman and Arakawa two weeks prior.
“Both individuals advised they rarely saw the owners (of the residence) when conducting routine maintenance on the home,” the search warrant affidavit read. “Both indicated they maintained contact with the homeowners through text message and phone calls and primarily communicated with the female homeowner…”
Kesler served as a personal contractor for Hackman and Arakawa for over 16 years and told Fox News Digital that he is “heartbroken.”
Kesler issued an official statement on Saturday, sharing that he will “never” comment on the “tragic event” that led to the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa due to their privacy. However, he did share some kind words about the couple.
LISTEN: GENE HACKMAN 911 CALL
“Gene and Betsy, Thank you for the 16 plus years of opportunity, friendship and trust. Gene Hackman, thank you for lending a hand on projects over the years. I could not believe at the time I was actually working side by side with a legend. Thank you for treating my sons and employees so well and as equals. When on the job you were just another one of the guys. Thank you for all the stories which I will always remember and will cherish forever,” he began.
“Betsy Hackman, thank you for the years of friendship, generosity, opportunity and trust. Thank you for your love for dogs, including my own. Thank you for all the advice and consoling. Thank you for being such a beautiful person.
“You both will always be near and dear to my heart and greatly missed. Love you Both!” Kesler concluded.
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Fox News Digital’s Larry Fink contributed to this report.
